Tagged by Adam

My brother tagged me a few days back (whoops, closer to a week ago now) and claims I need to confess ten things about myself. Apparently they don't have to be ten weird things, which is great. Wouldn't want to freak you all out or anything. I'm then supposed to tag ten more bloggers, which we'll just have to see about. If you knew how I felt about forwarding emails that simply "must be forwarded or your luck will turn to shit," you'd understand my hesitance. Like I said, we'll see. I'm on the fence because there are bloggers out there that I'd not mind learning more about, but tags may not be their bag. If you're tagged and don't want to participate, no skin off my nose.

Enough disclaimers? Good! Here we go:

1. My nose bobs up and down when I speak. Not with all sounds (mainly the Bs, Ms, and Ps, sometimes Rs), but I understand it can be distracting. Live with it. I do. Just focus. Put yourself in the place of a poor young Melissa, saying "My name is Melissa B****** and I am so pleased to meet you!" Not that I ever said that, but I could have. And my nose would have bobbed. And everyone would have laughed.
   
   
2. My husband is sitting casually about three feet from me, waiting for me to be done with the computer so he can play a little online poker. Little does he know I'm only on number two.
   
   
3. I love girly stuff (facial masks, clothes shopping, painted fingernails) but rarely indulge. It makes the times I do that much sweeter.
   
   
4. I cannot stand lying. How is a person supposed to make a considered decision or form an educated opinion if someone else skews the truth? It's insulting, really.
   
   
5. My passions are a bit mundane, if that's not an oxymoronic phrase. I've never wanted fame, though I'd take a little fortune, and there are few things I'd pursue with ceaseless energy. My passion? A comfortable life. Good family, good friends, a good book, a good meal. This is what makes me happy. Throw in some good sex and you could tie that day up with a bow.
   
   
6. I don't like explosive emotions and drama. I don't trust it. I understand how cathartic it can be to open your mouth and let whatever shit you have backed up come pouring out, but it's usually more damaging than helpful. I don't think I had a brake on my tongue when I was younger, and when I got pissed, it all came flying out. I'd like to think I learned to weigh the release I felt against the pain I caused, and learned from it. We're not here to score zingers off each other. Playing around is one thing, but when you actually have an issue to address, I'd rather cut the bullshit and make the discussion productive. That being said, I don't have a problem with other people cutting loose, it's just myself I keep on a short leash. Though if you're the sort that goes off half-cocked all the time, it's going to wear thin quickly and we probably won't end up spending a lot of time together.
   
   
7. Christ, I sound stuffy, don't I? Too bad. Moving forward.
   
   
8. Speaking of Christ, I went to parochial school for nine years, from kindergarten through eighth grade. We went to church with class one day a week, but since my siblings and I were never baptized, we'd have to sit in the pew or get in line to say, "Bless me, Father," rather than receiving Communion. I must say I didn't like the lapsed nun who told us we'd go to Hell since we weren't baptized, and reveled in the story of how she wouldn't let her cousin borrow her scarf because she was going to a Protestant church. The point has been made before, but there are way too many similarities between seemingly disparate religions to justify feeling smug that you and your co-parishioners are following the One True Path.
   
   
9. I am wearing three-and-a-half inch heels as I type this. I have some awesome shoes that don't get their day in the sun, so I try to work them into rotation once I'm home. It makes getting the mail more fun.
   
   
10. I don't like thinking that something I tell someone will get passed down the line, becoming further and further from what I actually said or meant, so if you tell me something, I zip it. Even if you don't specifically say not to tell anyone, I'm going to keep it myself. My friend and I were talking about this the other day, and it can be summed up by the following: It's not a secret. It's just your business.

Okay, so the tags. Refer to my first paragraph, and respond if you'd like. I'll try not to list those who have already been tagged, and these are in alphabetical order.

Annie
Chris
Eric
Gary
Isabella
James
Jay
Kav (you have 100 things already, but if you have more, spill it)
LC
Lori
Melly

So there are eleven, sue me. Whether you're tagged or not, if you want to play along but don't want to devote a whole post to it or are morally opposed to tags, please feel free to leave a five-things-about-me comment in this post. Or ten. I'm not about limiting space.